How does the brain extract information about
sensory stimuli? How is this information utilized to guide behavior
and to form memories? We address these questions in the appealingly
simple nervous system of the fruitfly, where we focus on olfactory
processing. Our overall goal is to understand how olfactory
information is represented in terms of neural spike trains, and how
associative learning modifies those representations.

Experimentally, our approach involves a combination of
techniques. We directly monitor activity of neurons in the brain of an intact fly
with patch clamp recordings and multiphoton imaging techniques. Using
molecular genetic techniques we can manipulate neural firing to
directly test our predictions about neural coding, both at the level
of spike trains and behavior.

See "Making Sense of
Smell" [PDF] to read more about how research groups at CSHL
are learning how the brain works by studying olfaction.

Update: The Turner lab has recently moved to Janelia Research Campus, and has positions open for postdoctoral researchers. See the description here